Your 鈥減itch,鈥� also known as your 鈥渆levator pitch鈥� or 鈥�30-second intro,鈥� is one of the most important things you鈥檒l need to prepare before attending听a career fair.听Why? Because it will help you make a great first impression, and first impressions are听everything!
An elevator pitch explains, in 30 seconds or less, who you are, your major and skills, and what your career goals are. If done well, it can literally open doors for you, and employers will want to continue that conversation. Stumble on your pitch, and recruiters will lose interest鈥攆ast.听
It can be intimidating to walk up to a recruiter and just begin talking about yourself. So, start with a smile, offer a firm handshake, establish eye contact and begin听with something like this:听
鈥淗ello, my name is _________. I am a (year in school) majoring in _________. I have a strong interest in what (company name) is involved with, and I would love to know more about what you do with the company and potential opportunities you may have available.鈥�
Be sure to prepare a few questions to ask each employer after you've stated your elevator pitch. These questions should be related to the company or the positions for which they are recruiting. Research ahead of the fair to make sure your questions are insightful and not easily answered by looking at their website.
5 tips for successful career fair prep
Join the final career fair of the year April 4 to learn from recruiters about current job openings, skills most in demand and more, while making a personal connection. Click for tips and other resources.
Kick-starting your job search after spring break
In the next six weeks, you're not only grinding to complete your course work but also trying to figure out what to do this summer. Here are a few tips to help you plan your job search attack.
Show your interest and knowledge by asking questions such as:听
- 鈥淚 read your company just started a project doing _________. What role would an intern at your company have in this project?鈥�
- 鈥淲hat are some typical projects that a person in this position gets to work on?鈥�
- 鈥淲hat types skills or experiences do you look for in a r茅sum茅?鈥�
- 鈥淗ow did you get into the _________ business?鈥�
- 鈥淲hat do you like most about your job?鈥�
- 鈥淲hat do you have to do to be successful in the _________ industry?鈥�
- 鈥淗ow is your company looking to grow in the future?鈥�
- 鈥淚 see you are a 彩民宝典 alumnus/a. How did getting a degree here help prepare you for the position you are in now?鈥�
The best way to prepare your elevator pitch is, first, to type it out听and then practice saying it out loud over and over again until it rolls off the tongue. You'll feel much more comfortable approaching an employer at the career fair if you first know how to introduce听yourself and get the conversation going.
